Emily Lawrence is shown interrupting her knitting to grasp her grandson’s hand as he leans over the back of her chair. The portrait was commissioned by Emily’s husband, the collector Cyrus L. Lawrence, while Cassatt was visiting her family and friends in the United States after nearly twenty years abroad.

The naturalness and informality of the sitters’ poses suggest their mutual affection, demonstrating the artist’s skill in capturing both a likeness and a mood.